Apparatus for washing and separating gold and silver from their ores



('No Modal.)

W. J. TANNER.

APPABATUS FOR WASHING AND SEPABATING GOLD AND SILVBR PROM THEIR ORES.

No. 460,722. Patented0ct. 6, 1891.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM JOHNTANNER, OF LONDON, ENGLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE LECTRO- AMALGAMATOR COMPANY, OF NE\V JERSEY.

APPARTUS FOR WASHJNG AND SEPARATI-NG GOLD AND SILVER FROM THEIR ORES.

SPECIEICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 460,722, dated October 6, 1891, Original application filed September 24,1884,Serial No.143,823. Divided anllthis application filed October 3, 1885 Serlal No. 178,928.

(No model.) Patented in Victoria ctober 3, 1884, No. 3,857; land. Iebrnary 16, 1885, No. 7.

in New South Wales January 12, 1885, No. 1,563, andin Queens- T0 aZZ whom iv mcty concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM JOHN TAN- NER, a subject of the Queen of Great Britain, and a resident of London, county of Middlesex, England,have invented certain new and useful lmprovements in Electrical Apparatus for VVashin'g and Separating Gold and Silver from their Ores, (for which I have previously received aVictorian patent, dated October 3, 1884, No. 3,857; a Queeusland patent, dated February 16, 1885, No. 7, and a New South VVales patent, dated J anuary 12, 1885, No.1,563,)0f which the following is a specificatien, this being a division of my Patent No.

328,532, October 20, 1885.

It is well known that when amalgamated plates are used for oollecting gold and silver from their-ores the surfaces of these plates are liable to become tarnished or sickened by certain substances contained in the ores or in the current of water which is employed to carry the 0re over the plates, and that in this condition they are unfitted for amalgamating the particles of gold and silver. To prevent this and to keep the surfaces of the amalgamaced plates always bright and in a better condition for catching and amalgamating the pa'rticles of gold and silver are the objects of my invention, and I employ electrieity in carrying it out.

My invention, which forms the subject of this application, Which is a division of my original case, patented October 20, 1885, and numbered 328,532,oonsists in the use of an amalgamated plate or plates fastened t0 a wood backing. fioles are made in these plates, passing also through the wood back ing. In the center of each hole is placed a pin or small rod of carbon or other conducting material, the diameter of the pin or rod being less than that of the hole in the amalgamated plates and its backing, and the space between the outside of the pin or rod and the inside of the hole is filled in with a non-conducting material. The ends of the pieces on the under side of the wood backmg are put in electrical connection with one another and with the positive polo of any source of electricity and the amalgamated plates with the negative polo of the same source. The anode maybe in theform of pins or points of carbon or other conducting material. These pins or points are kept at the proper height above the surface of the amalgamated plates by being through the bars of a frame supported on the sides of the table on which the amalgamated plates are laid or fastened. The electrical connections are made in the same manner as in the previously-described arrangement.

I now proceed .to describe fully the constructionof apparatus, as shown in the drawings and employed for carrying my invention into eiectl Similar letters indicate like or corresponding parts in all the figures.

Figure 1 is a plan, and Fig. 1 a longitudinal section, of amalgamated plate 0, fastened to a wood backing X. Holes are made through the plate and the baoking, in the center of Which are placed the carbon pins or rods A, of smaller diameter than the holes, and kept from touching the sides of the holes by being surrounded by a layer of non-conducting material. The upper ends of the pins may or may not be flush with the surface of the amalgamated plate. The carbons A are electrically connected with one another on the under side of the backing and also with the positive pole of the source of electricity. The amalgamated plate is suitably connected with the negative pole of the same source.

Having now described the nature invention, what I olaim, and desire to by Letters Patent, is-

1. The combination, with an amalgamated plate having holes, of points or pins of conducting material forming part of the circuit 90 arranged in said holes and insulated from the plate, substantially as described.

of my Secure passed 55 2. The combinabion, with an amalgamated name to this specification in the presence of [0 plate fastened t0 a wood backing, wth holes two snbscribng witnesses.

through said plate and backing, of points 01' T T pins of conducting material arranged in the VILLIAM JOHN TAhI 5 holes, but insulated from the plate and back- Wibnesses:

ng, the pins beng conneeted electrically CHRIS BERKLEY IIARRIS,

with one po1e of abattery and the plate with London, Notdry Public.

the opposite p01e, subStzmtially as described. G. F. \VARREN,

In testimony whereof I have signed my Notary Public,London. 

